Bermuda RW 2014 Preview

posted Apr 13, 2014, 4:37 PM by Danielle Lawson

Bermuda International Invitational Race Week starts on May 3rd with registration and will continue until the evening of May 9th with prize giving. For the IODs racing will consist of 14 races in the Great Sound. This year we have 13 participants, 11 from overseas and 2 from Bermuda. Geographically, the participants are from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and Bermuda.

The Regatta will be hotly contested as usual, as 3 former IOD Bermuda Race Week champions headline the list of competitors. The most recent race week winner is past champion from the Newport Shields fleet Dan Faria who is keen to get another Bermuda Race Week victory. Perennial competitor Jan Petter Roed from Norway is back to see if he can repeat his fine form from last year and perhaps make it back to the winners circle having almost done so in 2013. From Marblehead is past winner Bruce Dyson. He is returning after a hiatus of several years as he was preoccupied in the summers sailing his 8 metre sailboat in the New England area. He definitely has the ability to win it all.

There will be five other experienced and quality veterans in the event. From the San Francisco IOD fleet is Ron Young who is returning after an absence of a couple of years. If the wind blows he could do very well. Bermuda’s 2012 (and 2013 runner up) overall series champion Patrick Cooper will be headlining the hopes of the Bermuda fleet. With his experienced crew and knowledge of the Great Sound he could take home the Vrengen Cup. John Henry the perennial overall champion of the North East Harbour, Maine IOD fleet is returning to Bermuda in hopes of taking home the trophy. He has done well here in the past. From Sweden we have Bjorn Wahlstrom. He participated last year and is looking to improve his position in the standings. The final veteran is Jeremy Preston of the Cowes, England Daring fleet. He has a very experienced crew and should be a contender for the Vrengen Trophy.

There will be five new competitors this year sailing in Bermuda. New blood is always good for the regatta. Representing Nantucket is Richard Werdiger. This will be his first time sailing in Bermuda and he is looking forward to the experience. Martin Seise from Bermuda is very familiar with sailing here as part of the local IOD fleet. He is keen to test his skills against the foreign competitors. Although Ed Kavie from Fishers Island is new to Bermuda Race Week he will have a veteran crew which will be invaluable in guiding him around the Great Sound during the competition. Our final two new participants are from different sides of the Atlantic. Henry Arnold representing the Royal Thames Yacht Club has a background in team racing. He won the K2 European championship last year and is keen to test his skills in the IOD. Peter Wickwire hails from Halifax Nova Scotia and is the reigning champion J24 sailor in Nova Scotia. He has recently competed in the IODs here in the World Match Racing Tour Argo Gold Cup and sails IODs in Chester. He is looking forward to his initial Bermuda Race Week. All competitors will find a warm welcome from Bermuda and the host Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.